Quick and Dirty:


Pros:  Easy to stash in running pack, lightweight, convenient for trail use, fill up and stash in pack for reserve water.
Cons:  Can get clogged if water has too much silt, must be gentle when cleaning it, the hollow microfiber filters are delicate, takes a few uses each time to get water flowing from it. 


Review:

The Katadyn BeFree water filter bottle (0.6L) is quite possibly my favorite piece of running gear!  I have been using it for 4 years and don’t go on a long trail run without it!  It’s convenient, easy to stash in my running pack and filters water very well. In the middle of a long run on a warm day, there isn’t much better than finding a cool creek, filling up my filter bottle, drinking cold, clean refreshing water, then refilling and stashing it in my running vest for use down the trail. I keep the empty filter unit in the front pocket of my running vest until I’m ready to use it again. The grab and go functionality of this water filtration option is fantastic!

I’ve used the BeFree water filter bottle while backpacking as well, either as a quick, easy access water filter system before arriving at my final camping destination, or at camp when I’m too lazy to get out my other filter.  Katadyn also makes a Gravity flow filter system, although that’s not conducive to trail running.  I have gone through a couple of filters, but have managed to not puncture the bottle, so I still have my original one! The bottle and filter are easy to clean, although one must be gentle with the filter unit and gently swirl in water to clean, rather than subjecting to high pressure running water.


Who it’s for:

This product is great for trail runners, hikers, backpackers

Similar Products

The Sawyer Squeeze Mini water filtration system is similar to the BeFree and is what I use for the majority of backpacking trips.  It’s easy to stash in my backpack, but not as easy to stash in the confined spaces of my running pack.  The Sawyer won’t fit in my running pack while attached to a water bladder, and therefore is a bit more cumbersome to assemble and disassemble on the go during a run. 


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